How to Write Client Thank You Notes to Spark Delight

Nurturing customer relationships is a key element of a successful business. There are a lot of ways to go about doing this, but it’s important to remember that small gestures can go a long way.

Customers like to feel valued, and a simple, handwritten thank you note displays how much you care about each and every one of your customers.

In fact, you'd be surprised at the many benefits of physically writing client thank you notes.

The Benefits of a Handwritten Thank You Card

Handwritten thank you cards really stand out in the digital age we currently live in. Simply expressing gratitude can delight recipients, something many people tend to underestimate.

A 2018 Psychological Science study found that those expressing gratitude by writing various letters underestimated how pleasantly surprised recipients would be and how positive the letters made them feel. They also overestimated the potential feelings of awkwardness. 

If you're on the fence about sending handwritten thank you cards for clients and customers, get off the fence. The little time and energy it takes to have your team write and mail thank you cards yields big results.

Your messages of gratitude can take many different forms. Perhaps you're thanking a client for a special occasion, like an anniversary of working together for X amount of years. 

Or your sales team just closed a new deal, and they want to express how grateful they are for the new client's time during the sales process and their decision to work with you. 

No matter the context of the handwritten thank you card, you need to know the dos and don'ts of expressing appreciation for your customers.

The Do's and Don'ts of a Customer Appreciation Note

Do:

• Send it via snail mail! Emails are quick and efficient, but receiving a real thank you card in the mail makes a greater impact overall.
• Use branded or brand-appropriate stationary or notecards.
• Hand write it! Nothing shows that you have put time, effort, and thought into a thank you card like hand writing it.
• Keep it light and informal!

Don't:

• Send it too late! You want to keep your customer relationships fresh at all times, so don’t let them fall by the wayside!
• Push your business too hard: A thank you card is just that – a thank you. It’s about thanking a customer for their business. It’s not about trying to push more services or products on them.

How to Write a Thank You Note to Your Clients

Now that you know the do's and don'ts, let's run through a few simple tips to follow when you're writing your customer thank you cards.

Make Sure You Personalize It!

Greet your customer by name, and tell them why you’re sending this note: what are you thanking them for? Why was their business valuable to you?

This personalized greeting upfront adds a human element to the thank you card, which stands out to the customer. Seeing their name in handwriting from your team is a special treat they will enjoy. 

Include Specific Details.

Make sure you include a specific detail that’s unique to your relationship with this customer to show that you pay close attention to each and every person.

Your attention to detail in the thank you card sets expectations for the entire relationship you're building with the customer. They see how committed your company is to paying attention to the little things. 

Leave an Open Line of Communication.

Make sure that you leave an open line of communication for further collaboration in the future. Something along the lines of, “If you have any feedback or questions in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact me” works well, but it can be customized to your specific situation.

Context is always helpful. For example, if a customer is having difficulties with technology integrations with your SaaS product, mention how your team is always available to assist them with troubleshooting integration issues. 

Be Sincere, Not Pushy.

Sign off with a professional but sincere note, using tags like “Best regards,” “Sincerely,” “Cheers,” or “All the best.”

Remember the goal of your thank you note – you're simply expressing how much you appreciate the recipient. You're not trying to cross-sell or upsell or ask anything. 

Here’s a quick thank you note example to give you an idea of how to bring all these features together:

Dear Jennifer,

Thank you for making Bluleadz your exclusive agency! We really look forward to helping Sunshine Bakery grow and thrive, and to see how much your wonderful baked goodies will benefit our community!

If you have any questions moving forward, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time! We’re always just a quick phone call or email away, although you’ll likely see our team members stopping in for a cookie fix too (we’ve got an office-wide sweet tooth)!

All the best,

Sandy at Bluleadz

How to Write a Thank You Letter After Closing the Sale

Don’t get these two mixed up – a customer appreciation thank you note is different from a thank you letter that’s sent after closing a big sale.

These letters should be written more formally than customer thank you cards, and they should be somewhere around a page in length. Thank you letters can be put into emails, but make sure that they’re still carefully written and formatted professionally.

Here's a short outline to follow when you're writing a thank you letter to new customers.

• Open with a professional greeting.
• The opening paragraph should explain why you're reaching out – to thank them for deciding to purchase your products or services. 
• The following paragraph should reiterate what you covered during the sales process – walk them through the next steps and emphasize how your team is available to help at any time. 
• Close the letter by getting them excited about being your customer. Congratulate them for their recent purchase, and welcome them to your community of happy customers. 

3 Creative Ways to Thank Customers for Their Business

Need inspiration for thanking clients and customers? Here are three creative ways to extend your gratitude.

Give Away Free Stuff!

Stickers, coasters, t-shirts, you name it! Having branded merchandise to include with your thank you notes is a great way to add a little something extra and stand out!

Give a Shout Out on Social Media.

If you’re fostering B2B relationships, a great way to thank and delight your customers is by giving them a shout out on your social media channels!

Whether over Twitter or via Instagram stories, it will not only show your appreciation, but also bring positive attention and traffic to their company as well, which they’ll appreciate!

Send an Engaging Video.

This is taking customer thank you notes to a whole new level. If a handwritten card for your clients shows effort and appreciation, imagine what a video would do.

Write a short script to prepare what you’re going to say, and then use a webcam to record a quick thank you video for your clients! Actually seeing you express gratitude for their business will make your customers feel valued in a whole new way.

As you can see, a client thank you note takes just a few minutes of your time. This small investment can establish a strong foundation for a positive customer relationship.